How to tell if a child is gifted?

[autumnbronze]

You have PM Blobbi :hugs:

[autumnbronze]

schweppes:

My dd1 was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder when she was about 9yo. It was a real struggle and very painful to find out and yet finding out was liberating, as we knew what the problem was and could help her accordingly.

DD1 is 13 now and she has come a long way, improving so much over the years. She diligently does all her homework and remembers to hand in her homework on time. Her main issues are that she finds it hard to process information, so this sometimes affect her academic performance. Despite her challenges, she never gave up. In fact, her teachers often describe her as a \"resilient\" and \"tenacious\" child; someone who tries her best and never gives up.

I think we tend to see \"gifted\" as IQ related and excellent academic performance. But I truly believe that there is more to life than that. Every child is different and gifted in their own special way.

So, she may not be \"gifted\" in an academic sense, but my dh and myself see her gifts as being resilient and having personal strength, because those gifts are what have seen her through some of her darkest moments in life. And, more importantly, she is our gift from God. :celebrate:

Hear Hear :celebrate:

I second that Schweppes :grphug: to you and your DD

[rocklee]

Hi there


may i know what is difference between autism and asperger’s syndrome? when ds1 was young, i actually suspected he had asperger’s syndrome due to his lack of social skills. didn’t get him checked cos i thought he was just being introvert.

[cnimed]

Blobbi:

deminc:

I think knowing the subcores are very useful. My son's processing speed score was much lower than his other subscores. This corresponds with his vision processing issues and he's now with KKH eye center. His headaches have also improved. So it's all useful information.

Heya Deminc, it's me , shhh. Can pm me about the visual precessing stuff? We're battling with this too :(. Tks much!!!

Hi Blobbi,

I didn't realise you are who-I-now-think-you-are, hahaha. Alamak, this is so cheesy. Anyway, are you still with the OT at KP? We're now with the orthopist at KKH Eye Center for binocular vision (distant objects). For say, the chalkboard in a classroom setting, he would see double images even though he has 6/6 vision in both eyes. The orthopist knows of Z but says the exercises for this is basically the same.

DS is also continuing with his gym classes which Alvin says is essentially like therapy for sensory stuff(as long as it's serious gym, not playgym); the gym teacher also said all the high beam stuff is good for improving vision.

DS1 says the words move around a lot less now and so far, he's only complained of pounding headache once this year. I can't say what is the thing that \"worked\" since we're trying to cover all angles, but I can say for sure that understanding his condition better and some of the triggers have lessened a lot of anxieties in both of us. Now he knows he doesn't need to simply put up with it and what he can do to prevent or lessen the headaches. The teachers are also informed so they put him nearer to the board and do not give him a hard time for mirror writing or for reading tasks.

Beyond the physical aspect, there are still some vision processing stuff that overlaps with dyslexia/visual-spatial learning. If you go to the Irlien website, there is a neat little programme that allows you to see the various ways in which the child see - jumping words, river words, blurred words etc. You can also see if colors help on the website by choosing different color options. For DS1, colors do not help, but he showed me the page where everything was jumping madly around. Faint. No wonder he had a headache and could rub his eyes so hard that there are open tears.

If you want more information on the dyslexia/visual-spatial stuff, let me know and I will pm them to you. A phenomenon for very VS-inclined learners include moving words which I think both our boys are complaining of. Out of curiosity, I tested ds to see if he could write/read upside down and mirror image as a researcher in this field documented. He could. So part of the problem is getting the orientation. He recently seemed to have gotten his orientation finally and everything improved, but he tried to switch his writing hand, and within 2 weeks everything went downhill. So I think there's something in the VS thing.

[keroppi]

schweppes:

I think we tend to see \"gifted\" as IQ related and excellent academic performance. But I truly believe that there is more to life than that. Every child is different and gifted in their own special way.

I second this. Sometimes we fail to appreciate what is important in life until we almost lose it or when something serious happens ... we don't need to wait till then to realize that all our kids are special and that is NOT measured by school results.

[schweppes]

autumnbronze:

Hear Hear :celebrate:

I second that Schweppes :grphug: to you and your DD

Aiyoh... your post here has touched me. *lump in throat* :hugs:

Thanks Autumnbronze. :lol:

[autumnbronze]

schweppes:

autumnbronze:

Hear Hear :celebrate:

I second that Schweppes :grphug: to you and your DD

Aiyoh... your post here has touched me. *lump in throat* :hugs:

Thanks Autumnbronze. :lol:

Alamak ... you asking for another hug issit??

Okie okie .... one more only ahhhh, must save some for others

nah ..... :grphug:

[Blobbi]

Hi deminc, yeah it’s me grin. Tks so much for the wealth of information! 7 yrs of searching for answers has left me fatigued. While I have seen the term "visual spatial", I’ve had very little energy left to pursue the implications to it’s very depths. Yes to mirror writing and upside down reading! Also, he can write right to left in perfect mirror- in the past without realizing, but he’s aware now. So I see-that’s visual spatial. I thought it was stealth dyslexia!


Gosh about the gym. I haven’t dared cos of his lack of co-ordination. He’s doing tonnes of swimming for core body strength. With the amount of work put in, he’s wondering why he’s not faster grin. Can u pm me the Eye Centre’s contacts? We started w S at KP today for handwriting, but I wonder if there are alternatives.

Perhaps I’m recovering because I can now discuss the issue at length. Ever since the test, I kinda stuck the report in the cupboard and not looked into the alphabet soup. Probably in denial, actually, hahaha!

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

fluffy, schweppes, snowyqueen


Thanks for sharing. Your posting really touches my heart to continue looking for an answer to help my dd. I don’t care about labelling but this child of mine struggles a lot. It makes matter worst when I thought ds is the normal kid and dd is the one having problem. But after a few years with KSP with some special friends that I have bonded, I realize my children development are different from others.

I’m still in the midst of searching for the answer. I hope with the testing done for both kids, I will be able to help my children as what you have gone through.

[Fluffy]

schweppes:

My dd1 was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder when she was about 9yo. It was a real struggle and very painful to find out and yet finding out was liberating, as we knew what the problem was and could help her accordingly.


DD1 is 13 now and she has come a long way, improving so much over the years. She diligently does all her homework and remembers to hand in her homework on time. Her main issues are that she finds it hard to process information, so this sometimes affect her academic performance. Despite her challenges, she never gave up. In fact, her teachers often describe her as a \"resilient\" and \"tenacious\" child; someone who tries her best and never gives up.

Sometimes it may be a blessing in disguise for our kids. When they understand their condition and know the amount of effort, support and encouragement their parents and family have put forth, they become stronger in their personality and like your DD1, became a more \"resilient\" person.

My son too grow more mature and stronger in personality. He refused to go back to Brisbane for more session with Tony Attwood because he felt that we have been spending too much on him. He feels that he can try to overcome some of the difficulties by making sure he sit in front of the class and ask his classmates for help for note taking etc. He also make it a point to wear his Irlen Lens to reduce the Irlen Syndrome which in the past he was rather uncomfortable with it. He make the effort to help himself which to me is the greatest effort in being more independent.

I know it takes many times more effort for our children to process the information passing through them. It can be very exhausting for the little effort they take compare to a normal child. We should try to support and encourage them as much as possible. My son who has Executive Functioning Disorder has difficulties with skills of executive functioning including working memory, difficulties with organisation, planning, time management, prioritising, and concentration. These skills unfortunately do not get better with practice because according to tests, the front lobe of his brain is underdeveloped. Hence, I have to be his \"personal assistance\" at times. If we are able to help and support them on mundane activities, AS kids would be able to focus their energy on maximising their potential and talent. Usually they have very narrow interest and if given right opportunity, exposure and support, they will be able to excel beyond our imagination.

Example of famous AS people are Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Bill Gates, Beethoven, Tom Hank and many others.

I have a severly Autistic nephew who can fix a 100 pieces jigsaw puzzle within 15 mins when he was only 6 years old. His concentration was so intense and focus that nobody could pull him out of the puzzle despite repeated persuasion.

With right intervention, we will be able to help these children.